"...You should rest for the night."

We were deep in the forest when Baekhyun spoke. 

"You may not want to be around me. But you can't very well stay here forever, can you? I need you to understand, Kyungsoo. There's no guarantee that the Bandersnatch won't be back."

My voice was hoarse as I spoke.

"...But I can't go to your house either."

It might have been different back when I didn't know anything, but now that I was aware of Baekhyun's deceit-- Staying with Baekhyun at his house was no longer a viable option. 

"...Don't worry. I know of somewhere you can rest."

He tried getting me to follow him. To be honest, I didn't trust Baekhyun. But at the moment, I had nowhere else to go. It was with heavy steps that I started to walk through the forest...

~~ Alice's House ~~

Baekhyun led me to a quaint little home. The roof was triangular with soft curves, and the rooms were small but comfortable. The house had a well-tended garden, and the blossoming flowers were openly welcoming. But... In my current state, even that charming picture looked terribly dreary.

"This house is meant for 'Alice'. It's not the house you were living in, Kyungsoo, but it should still serve you well."

I felt no inclination to answer him. The very existence of this house meant that there was no need for me to spend the night at Baekhyun's house yesterday. 

(Did Baekhyun only invite me to his house...because he could keep an eye on me?)

In spite of myself, the thought was disheartening. 

"I know what you're thinking."

Baekhyun's expression was filled with sadness when he looked at me with those a